2013 - NFC Championship Round: Thoughts after watching the game...

Through the first eight games of 2007, Sherman was Stanford's leading receiver, with 36 catches for 635 yards. But in the ninth game, against Washington, he caught just two passes for 11 yards and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct while covering a punt. Senior receiver Evan Moore challenged Sherman on the sideline to control his emotions, prompting a shoving match, and Harbaugh suspended Sherman for the following game. He caught just one pass for five yards the remainder of the season. "He and Harbaugh clashed more than once," says Kevin.

"You learn to harness some things in college—intensity, competitiveness—and Richard did a good job of that," says Harbaugh. "I have long and good memories of when we were together. With coaches and players, if you end up being friends, that's great. But it's far more important to me personally that we took care of his future."

Sherman redshirted 2008 because of a left-knee injury, fell down the depth chart and called home, wondering if he should transfer. "You're going to leave Stanford for some rinky-dink school just because you want to play football and don't get along with some coach?" Beverly asked, incredulous. "No. You go make it happen."

Harbaugh was in charge of the offense but delegated defensive duties, so Sherman texted the coach and asked to switch to cornerback, the position Carroll thought he should have been playing all along. "That call saved him," Kevin says, "because Richard didn't have to deal with Harbaugh anymore. They were out of each other's hair." In the winter of 2009, reporters asked Harbaugh about Sherman's new position.

His response: "Don't know if he'll be able to beat anybody out over there or not."

Originally posted by Jakemall:
Kap was the only one doing anything? Okay. I'll play... WRs and TEs can't catch if the ball isn't thrown...and the HBs can't run if the defense has 8-9 in the box daring Kap to throw.

This defense had Kap pegged. The only thing that was working early was Kap running and later in the game Kap was forcing throws..which look magnificent when they go your way..and result in picks when they don't.

Not saying that everyone on offense didn't contribute to this loss...but let's be fair here..kap wasn't the only one doing anything...and what is more, he was a part of the reason everyone else was limited to what they could do.

Originally posted by clearmind:
Through the first eight games of 2007, Sherman was Stanford's leading receiver, with 36 catches for 635 yards. But in the ninth game, against Washington, he caught just two passes for 11 yards and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct while covering a punt. Senior receiver Evan Moore challenged Sherman on the sideline to control his emotions, prompting a shoving match, and Harbaugh suspended Sherman for the following game. He caught just one pass for five yards the remainder of the season. "He and Harbaugh clashed more than once," says Kevin.

"You learn to harness some things in college—intensity, competitiveness—and Richard did a good job of that," says Harbaugh. "I have long and good memories of when we were together. With coaches and players, if you end up being friends, that's great. But it's far more important to me personally that we took care of his future."

Sherman redshirted 2008 because of a left-knee injury, fell down the depth chart and called home, wondering if he should transfer. "You're going to leave Stanford for some rinky-dink school just because you want to play football and don't get along with some coach?" Beverly asked, incredulous. "No. You go make it happen."

Harbaugh was in charge of the offense but delegated defensive duties, so Sherman texted the coach and asked to switch to cornerback, the position Carroll thought he should have been playing all along. "That call saved him," Kevin says, "because Richard didn't have to deal with Harbaugh anymore. They were out of each other's hair." In the winter of 2009, reporters asked Harbaugh about Sherman's new position.

His response: "Don't know if he'll be able to beat anybody out over there or not."

I thought Colin Kaepernick was outstanding for large portions of the NFC title game as he threw for 153 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 130 yards. But I did not like his decision-making in that final minute and I think San Francisco were asking for trouble in attacking the aforementioned Sherman.

And there is no getting away from the fact that - with one of the biggest games of his young career on the line - Kaepernick turned the ball over on three series in the fourth quarter to hand the win to Seattle.

But I cannot solely stick the boot into Kaepernick for those turnovers. I think he deserves a great deal of credit for putting up a good fight against the number one defence in the gridiron world. Kaepernick is a breath-taking and exciting talent, who showed he can hurt a defence with his strong arm and his long-striding speed. He was far from perfect, but it was hard to take your eyes off him - his touchdown strike to Anquan Boldin was a thing of beauty and his decision-making will only improve in the coming years.

Sunday marked contrasting styles at the quarterback position as veteran pocket passers Tom Brady and Peyton Manning went head to head in the AFC title game, while young, scrambling improvisers Russell Wilson and Kaepernick met in the NFC.

Now, I don't think for one minute that the likes of Brady and Manning are a dying breed because you still have to be able to throw from the pocket to win in the NFL. But if Wilson and Kaepernick are the so-called "future of the NFL" I can live with some of their style as well because, while it may not be quarterbacking for the purists, they sure are fun to watch!

Calls go against the Niners

I thought the NFC Championship Game had some missed calls that went against the San Francisco 49ers, catapulting head coach Jim Harbaugh into the kind of tantrums that send red-faced two-year-olds to the Naughty Step.

Harbaugh needs to do a better job of controlling his emotions because it is rare to see other coaches around the league getting as worked up as he does on Sundays. But I can understand why he was annoyed at times on Sunday night.

The most annoying call for me came when Navorro Bowman clearly ripped the football away from Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse down near the goal-line. Bowman tore his ACL in the process but showed the toughness to keep hold of the football.

Yet, somehow, that was ruled a Seattle ball and could not be challenged because possession plays like that cannot be looked at in the field of play. Yet it could have been reviewed had Bowman made the play in the end zone. That makes no sense to me. I'm all for keeping games around the three-hour mark and understand the worry about making everything reviewable, but that play showed that game-changing moments like that have to go under the microscope and be looked at.

One final note on the brutal NFC title game, I do hope Bowman makes a speedy recovery from what looked a sickening injury. It was sad to see the best linebacker in the sport leave the field on a cart.

Originally posted by thl408:
I've read many of the arguments in favor and against the decision to throw this pass and everyone has legit reasons to feel how they feel. On one side, people are content with the throw because it's Crabs 1 on 1 with no safety help. On the other side, it's 1st down with time left on the clock versus a very good CB. At first, I was meh with it because he didn't throw into double coverage, which is a cardinal sin. But after seeing it in slo mo, Kap had an opportunity to look elsewhere once he saw that Sherman was step for step. He can like the matchup presnap, that's fine, but it never means he must follow through with it.

Step for step or not, sometimes a QB is going to give his receiver a chance to make a play. HOWEVER, I just don't think it was necessary in this instance, particularly when the guy who is step-for-step is arguably the best corner in the game right now. Even as it was happening, I wanted them to call a TO after Davis' catch got them the 1st down at the 18. Call the TO and you've still got 1 left with around 50 seconds of clock...it's not like they HAD to get it in within a play or two, there was still the possibility of a 1st & Goal situation, and just felt that letting the clock run down to ~25 seconds wasn't best option.

First off I want to say the 49ers are one of the best teams in the NFL.

This has to do with Harbaugh Baldwin & Sherman

Doug Baldwin 106 yards receiving and returned a kickoff 69 yards.

Sherman A Sports Illustrated profile of Sherman traces his dislike of Harbaugh to a suspension in 2007, when he was the team's leading wide receiver. Senior receiver Evan Moore challenged Sherman on the sideline to control his emotions, prompting a shoving match, and Harbaugh suspended Sherman for the following game. He caught just one pass for five yards the remainder of the season. Sherman redshirted 2008 because of a left-knee injury, fell down the depth chart and called home, wondering if he should transfer. "You're going to leave Stanford for some rinky-dink school just because you want to play football and don't get along with some coach?" (his mother) Beverly asked, incredulous. "No. You go make it happen." Harbaugh was in charge of the offense but delegated defensive duties, so Sherman texted the coach and asked to switch to cornerback. We'll probably be hearing a lot more about this story line over the next two weeks.

One pass for 5 yards the whole season

Baldwin "My junior year, I was actually going to transfer," Baldwin said. "I had the transfer papers already filled out on my behalf, and I was very close. Basically, it came down to whether my mother was going to let me do it or not." Mom said no, so Baldwin stuck it out and posted career highs with 58 catches for 857 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior in 2010, Harbaugh's final season before the 49ers hired him. "There's nothing against him, nothing personal. It's just a guy that coached me through college, and you want to show him that I'm as good as I think I am."

2011 6th round draft Ronald Johnson WR **** USC

Is it karma that Baldwin & Sherman were the 2 most important factors in seattles win over the 49ers?

Originally posted by thl408:
Because it's fun to take off the band aid and look at open wounds.

The play wasn't as simple as snap the ball and throw it up to Crabs. Kap still had to make sure that Thomas (blue circle) would not provide over the top help for Sherman.

Kap's first key is the FS Thomas. Thomas does not go over to help Sherman. So far, it's a go for this pass.

Kap now directs his sight to Crabs vs Sherman, knowing it's 1 on 1 with no safety help.

This is the moment in time Kap decides to pull the trigger. Sherman is not only even with Crabs, he's over the top of Crabs, using body position to prevent an inside breaking route. Notice Sherman is further upfield than Crabs is.

Deciding to throw a pass is more than just "my #1 WR is one on one, do it". Kap must consider the matchup as well as how the CB is aligned with the WR. If Sherman was in a trailing position, go for it. Sherman is not in a trailing position. Asking Crabs to beat one of the best CBs in the league, who happens to be 6'3" is a tough task any way you slice it. I hated the pass then and I hate it more now after seeing that Sherman was not in a trail position. A QB always has the option of moving off of his pre-snap read if he doesn't like what he sees. Kap should not have liked what he saw here.

Easy for me to say now that I know the result. But even if it went for a TD, I'm marveling at the balls it took to throw this pass and I would recognize what a risk it was to try it.

THANK YOU!! This is the same point I made to jonesadrian in the "Greg Roman is he really good" thread. Determining whether or not to go with your first read requires more than just "my #1 wr is man to man, go for it". Thank you dude.

Originally posted by Jakemall:
Kap was the only one doing anything? Okay. I'll play... WRs and TEs can't catch if the ball isn't thrown...and the HBs can't run if the defense has 8-9 in the box daring Kap to throw.

This defense had Kap pegged. The only thing that was working early was Kap running and later in the game Kap was forcing throws..which look magnificent when they go your way..and result in picks when they don't.

Not saying that everyone on offense didn't contribute to this loss...but let's be fair here..kap wasn't the only one doing anything...and what is more, he was a part of the reason everyone else was limited to what they could do.

THIS!! And this again!

And for all the people who say that the fade to Crabtree was the right call------ b******t!!!!!!!

NAME ME ONE TIME that Kaep threw a nice end zone fade?? One time? Anybody? Anybody?

That throw us not in Kaep's repertoire... never has been. So NO--- That throw should not have been made. A laser to Boldin on the same play? YES!!!

Originally posted by Jakemall:
Kap was the only one doing anything? Okay. I'll play... WRs and TEs can't catch if the ball isn't thrown...and the HBs can't run if the defense has 8-9 in the box daring Kap to throw.

This defense had Kap pegged. The only thing that was working early was Kap running and later in the game Kap was forcing throws..which look magnificent when they go your way..and result in picks when they don't.

Not saying that everyone on offense didn't contribute to this loss...but let's be fair here..kap wasn't the only one doing anything...and what is more, he was a part of the reason everyone else was limited to what they could do.

THIS!! And this again!

And for all the people who say that the fade to Crabtree was the right call------ b******t!!!!!!!

NAME ME ONE TIME that Kaep threw a nice end zone fade?? One time? Anybody? Anybody?

That throw us not in Kaep's repertoire... never has been. So NO--- That throw should not have been made. A laser to Boldin on the same play? YES!!!

Actually Kap has made several nice fade throws down the stretch this year. It is one of his most improved throws.

Originally posted by Jakemall:
Kap was the only one doing anything? Okay. I'll play... WRs and TEs can't catch if the ball isn't thrown...and the HBs can't run if the defense has 8-9 in the box daring Kap to throw.

This defense had Kap pegged. The only thing that was working early was Kap running and later in the game Kap was forcing throws..which look magnificent when they go your way..and result in picks when they don't.

Not saying that everyone on offense didn't contribute to this loss...but let's be fair here..kap wasn't the only one doing anything...and what is more, he was a part of the reason everyone else was limited to what they could do.

What I find Ironic is that when Alex Smith was the reason other players didn't do anything, it was the other players' fault for not helping Alex. Now that it's Kap, it's all Kap's faultthat nobody else did anything.

Ridiculous.

I find it amusing that you make this comment when you obviously haven't read my post.

Originally posted by thl408:
I've read many of the arguments in favor and against the decision to throw this pass and everyone has legit reasons to feel how they feel. On one side, people are content with the throw because it's Crabs 1 on 1 with no safety help. On the other side, it's 1st down with time left on the clock versus a very good CB. At first, I was meh with it because he didn't throw into double coverage, which is a cardinal sin. But after seeing it in slo mo, Kap had an opportunity to look elsewhere once he saw that Sherman was step for step. He can like the matchup presnap, that's fine, but it never means he must follow through with it.

You are very much correct. Kaep's struggles in the red zone are well documented. Not only that, but he struggles with the touch pass. He's never completed one end-zone fade in his career... with 2 time outs and 20 yards to go, you don't pull that trigger unless you're going to fire it in there.

TERRIBLE decision, second year in a row, where it seems like we just mess up with the tension mounts. Im almost positive Belichick calls a TO there, or any other good coach for that matter. They rushed that play to throw a terrible throw against the best DB in the league to a WR that can't jump because he just tore his achilles 7 months ago

Originally posted by Jakemall:
Kap was the only one doing anything? Okay. I'll play... WRs and TEs can't catch if the ball isn't thrown...and the HBs can't run if the defense has 8-9 in the box daring Kap to throw.

This defense had Kap pegged. The only thing that was working early was Kap running and later in the game Kap was forcing throws..which look magnificent when they go your way..and result in picks when they don't.

Not saying that everyone on offense didn't contribute to this loss...but let's be fair here..kap wasn't the only one doing anything...and what is more, he was a part of the reason everyone else was limited to what they could do.

THIS!! And this again!

And for all the people who say that the fade to Crabtree was the right call------ b******t!!!!!!!

NAME ME ONE TIME that Kaep threw a nice end zone fade?? One time? Anybody? Anybody?

That throw us not in Kaep's repertoire... never has been. So NO--- That throw should not have been made. A laser to Boldin on the same play? YES!!!

Actually Kap has made several nice fade throws down the stretch this year. It is one of his most improved throws.

back shoulder throws? Maybe.

Over the top, high arcing "fade" throws down the sideline? In the REDZONE especially?? Nope

Originally posted by thl408:
I've read many of the arguments in favor and against the decision to throw this pass and everyone has legit reasons to feel how they feel. On one side, people are content with the throw because it's Crabs 1 on 1 with no safety help. On the other side, it's 1st down with time left on the clock versus a very good CB. At first, I was meh with it because he didn't throw into double coverage, which is a cardinal sin. But after seeing it in slo mo, Kap had an opportunity to look elsewhere once he saw that Sherman was step for step. He can like the matchup presnap, that's fine, but it never means he must follow through with it.

Step for step or not, sometimes a QB is going to give his receiver a chance to make a play. HOWEVER, I just don't think it was necessary in this instance, particularly when the guy who is step-for-step is arguably the best corner in the game right now. Even as it was happening, I wanted them to call a TO after Davis' catch got them the 1st down at the 18. Call the TO and you've still got 1 left with around 50 seconds of clock...it's not like they HAD to get it in within a play or two, there was still the possibility of a 1st & Goal situation, and just felt that letting the clock run down to ~25 seconds wasn't best option.

Very much in agreement on the bolded. In a vacuum, the decision to throw the pass is okay. But considering the game situation, like you stated, no need for the risk. Blah.

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